Yes, like many I have a list of New Years Resolutions but here’s a little update on how the most reoccurring one is panning out.

Exhibit: Eating Healthy (with a focus on white meats/sea food)

Babies.

Babies in the Library.

To the people who bring babies into a college library;

Just because you made the decision to have children while in college does not mean you are allowed to subject the rest of us to your child’s screaming, whining, and running around. Because of you, I may petition a birth control awareness week on campus.

About two weeks ago I experienced my very first allergic anaphylaxis response. It was scary and since I still have no idea what caused it I have been pretty careful to use any fragrance product, eat milk/gluten, or go near Dollar Tree.

Last night I had another allergic reaction. This one was a much slower onset but still the result was near the same. I was able to down ibuprofen, prednisone, and anti-histamine in time that I didn’t have to use my Epi-Pen or make a Hospital Visit. This being said, I thought I’d include some pictures for you all. (p.s. I get a little extra credit is some of my med classes for supplying these photos, haha)

This was the first reaction (the one I got EpiPen-ed for); I looked like this and the front desk guy was still asking me to spell my last name... for real?

This is a photo of my back; note that this was after I took an 1.5 hour long baking soda bath and had all the drugs in me.

Needless to say, the itching was beyond anything I have ever experienced and I have an Allergy Specialist lined up.

First off, I want to wish a Happy Anniversary to my parents. If it weren’t for them, I wouldn’t be here now. I hope you two have a wonderful day and enjoy it fully!

Second, Chris and I just celebrated our two-year anniversary. Money is pretty darn tight this year (with our upcoming travels and unexpected medical bills) so I was truly anticipating a night at home with a homemade meal and a redbox (still sounded great to me!). But Chris had other plans….

1. Chris knows I love having photos of everything and that we needed some for our Christmas Card; so we headed out with a tripod and some determination.

Overlooking Logan and the Wellsville Mountains

2. After that (Chris all the while avoiding telling me his plans) drove to this wonderful Italian Restaurant called Gia’s; complete with accordion player and fireplace. The waitress was awesome; we both tried veal for the first time and enjoyed a complimentary chocolate decadency (no idea what it was called).

Veal Dishes

3. Then we trekked back out into the snow for the next step of our adventure. Chris let me pick out beautiful set of diamond and pearl earrings (to go perfectly with a former birthday present).

4. We quickly headed over then to the theater to watch “Real Steel”. We hadn’t heard much about it but were pleasantly surprised as it was one of the best we’ve seen all year.

5. Lastly, with the snow getting more treacherous we headed to Cosmic Bowling where I scored the best game of my life and beat Chris 88 to 87.

Cosmic Bowling (black lights and lasers)

It was a stupendously fun night and I am so grateful to have such a wonderful man in my life.

This is to Mom and Dad; and appreciatory photo for the wonderful Birthday Gift you guys were able to give to Chris. He was so excited!!!

This was taken in the heat of the flurry to unwrap the present... priceless!

A week ago I had the unfortunate opportunity to find out that I was deathly allergic to something… the scariest part? I don’t know what that something is.

Chris and I were at a store and all of a sudden I had intense itching all over my body; worse than I had ever felt. With in a few minutes my hands swelled double in size and my face looked like a distorted ogre. We ran home and I tried to shower whatever was on my body off but after a few seconds my throat started closing so we rushed to the Hospital. No thanks to the OBNOXIOUS and completely UNHELPFUL front desk person I did not die but was immediately Epi-Penned. To those who have never had that experience… you are fortunate. My best description of the experience is like being stabbed with a pencil and then feeling the lead burn your body. It did save my life though.

The Epi-Pen

Aside from that, my week has been rather uneventful. I am enjoying, tonight, a bowl of freshly made blue cheese garlic dip and my $2.00 monkey print Snuggie. Now if only I could get the gumption to study.

Blue Cheese Garlic Dip - my Asian roommate Arlene looked disgusted when I offered her some.

You can make fun of them all you want but I can do homework WITH a blanket on... beat that!

My blogs are few and far between but just an update;

Chris is still getting better; we’re fairly positive his kidneys went into shock a couple times and he can’t kick whatever is in his intestines. On top of that, the poor kid seems to have gotten a cough… I may or may not have looked up on ebay to see if they actually make human plastic bubbles.

I am slowly getting over a kidney and gall stone (tell me about pain) but other than the intermittent pain I feel pretty darn good.

I do have one message for everyone. DON’T DRINK SODA…. OF ANY KIND! It is the main cause of kidney stones due to the phosphorous allosterically binding to the calcium in your renal system. (No, drinking a lot of milk or taking a lot of mulivitamins will NOT give you kidney stones…. unless they by chance have phosphorous in them, which is unlikely)

We’re both excited for the upcoming gift/trip to Mexico (can’t wait for a break and for warmth)… however I am slightly disgruntled by the weight limit on zip-lining…

I have been promoted to Office Manager with the Utah Conservation Corps and will likely be going to Washington DC in February with work.

Chris is still on track to graduate this May and I’ll (unfortunately) be coming in the semester behind him. Unless he gets an internship for this spring, then he will be finishing at the same time.

I am looking forward to a good old fashioned Christmas with my family. My only request is that I make the Christmas Loaf – love ya dad haha!

Chris has been extremely ill this week. We’re not sure what is causing it or how to get him better. He’s been throwing up since Saturday and literally cannot eat anything. He went to the doctor yesterday and they told him to go to the Emergency Room. Please keep him in your prayers.

At the end of a very busy and hectic day I sometimes have to remind myself to be appreciative for the little things in life that make up the silver lining.